A carbon-supported Pd-P catalyst as the anodic catalyst in a direct formic acid fuel cell

In this paper, it is reported for the first time that a carbon-supported Pd-P (Pd-P/C) catalyst for the anodic catalyst in the direct formic acid fuel cell (DFAFC) can be prepared. The Pd-P/C catalyst shows that its electrocatalytic activity and especially its stability for the oxidation of formic acid are much higher than that of a Pd/C catalyst. Therefore, the Pd-P/C catalyst may have practical applications in DFAFCs.

Mercaptoethane sulfonate protected, water-soluble gold and silver nanoparticles: Syntheses, characterization and their building, multilayer films with polyaniline via ion-dipole interactions

Mercaptoethane sulfonate protected, water-soluble gold and silver nanoparticles (Au-MES and Ag-MES) are synthesized by one-phase method and characterized by TEM, TGA and XPS techniques, UV-vis and FTIR spectra. Both Au-MES and Ag-MES nanoparticles are soluble in the water up to 2.0 mg/ml and the stability of AU-MES is much better than that of Ag-MES. When dissolved in the water. they behave like a polyanion and can be used to build multilayer films with polyaniline (PANI) by way of layer-by-layer. A new approach is presented to fabricate the Multilayer films of Au-MES/PANI and Ag-MES/PAN]. The assembly mechanism of these multilayer films is also discussed. We anticipate highly conducting PANI films can be obtained by doping with these nanoparticles.

Transition from crazing to shear deformation in ABS/PVC blends

ABS/PVC blends were prepared over a range of compositions by mixing PVC, SAN, and PB-g-SAN. All samples were designed to have a constant rubber level of 12 wt % and the ratio of total-SAN to PVC in the matrix of the blends varied from 70.5/17.5 to 18/80. Transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope have been used to study deformation mechanisms in the ABS/PVC blends. Several different types of microscopic deformation mechanisms, depending on the composition of blends, were observed for the ABS/PVC blends. When the blend is a SAN-rich system, the main deformation mechanisms were crazing of the matrix. When the blend is a PVC-rich system, crazing could no longer be detected, while shear yielding of the matrix and cavitation of the rubber particles were the main mechanisms of deformation. When the composition of blend is in the intermediate state, both crazing and shear yielding of matrix were observed. This suggests that there is a transition of deformation mechanism in ABS/PVC blends with the change in composition, which is from crazing to shear deformation.

Synthesis and structures of the complexes of beta-alkoxycarbonylethyltin trichlorides with N-aryl-2-hydroxyacetophenylideneimines

Sixteen novel beta-alkoxycarbonylethyltin trichlorides and the corresponding N-aryl-2-hydroxyacetophenylideneimines complexes have been synthesized and characterized. An X-ray crystal structure analysis of the complex of beta-methyloxycarbonylethyltin trichloride and N-4-methylphenyl-2-hydroxyacetophenylideneimine has been performed, The crystal belongs to space group , The cell parameters are: a = 1.0201(6) nm, b = 1.082 2(4) nm, c = 1.394 9(6) nm, alpha = 99.88(3)degrees, beta = 98.63(4)degrees, gamma = 97.86(4)degrees, Z = 2, The ligands coordinate to tin atom via phenolic oxygen atom. Coordination of carbonyl oxygen atom to tin atom still exists in the complexes, The coordination number of tin atom is 6.

Synthesis and structure of 1:1 complex of ethylphenyltin dichloride with N-4-methoxyphenyl-2-hydroxynaphthylideneimine

A novel organotin complex, EtPhSnCl(2) . 2HOC(10)H(6)CH = NC6H1OCH3 was synthesized, and its crystal structure was determined by X-ray diffraction method. The crystal is triclinic, belonging to space group, with unit cell parameters a = 1.150 8(5) nm, b = 1. 153 1(5) gm, c = 1. 004 6 (3) nm, alpha = 94. 15 (3)degrees, beta = 115.47 (3)degrees, r = 85. 94 (4)degrees, V = 1199 7(1) nm(3), Z=2, D-c=1.68 g/cm(3), mu=13. 20 cm(-1), F(000)=618 for 4 131 reflections tions. R=0. 047, R(w)=0. 047. The ligand coordinates to tin atom via phenolic oxygen atom. The complex has a distored trigonal bipyramidal structure, the phenolic oxygen atom of the ligand and one of two chlorine atoms occupy the axial position. The distance between noncoodinated nitrogen atom with phenolic oxygen atom is 0. 257 4 nm, which indicates that the intramolecular hydrogen bond of Schiff base ligand is retained in the complex.

ELECTRICAL CHARACTERIZATION INDUCED IN PERNIGRANILINE BY POTASSIUM-ION IMPLANTATION

The electrical conductivities of pernigraniline after ion implantation with potassium ions were studied experimentally. Pernigraniline films were irradiated with doses ranging from 1 x 10(13) to 1 x 10(17) K+ ions/cm2 at 40 keV. The electrical conductivit

硼酸盐玻璃中Gd~(3+)、Dy~(3+)、Bi~(3+)对Tb~(3+)发光性质的影响

本文研究了单掺和双掺(Tb~(3+)、Tb~(3+)+Gd~(3+)、Tb~(3+)+Dy~(3+)、Tb~(3+)+Bi~(3+)约四十余种不同成份的硼酸盐玻璃。探讨了玻璃成份对Tb~(3+)发光性质的影响和Gd~(3+)、Dy~(3+)、Bj~(3+)对Tb~(3+)的胜化作用。在B_2O_2-BaO-M_mO_n(M_mO_n=Li_2O、Na_2O、K_2O、MgO、CaO、SrO、Al_2O_3、La_2O_3和Bi_2O_3)玻璃体系中,当M_mO_n分别为MgO和Al_2O_3时,Tb~(3+)的发光强度最强;M_mO-n为Bi_2O_3时,Tb~(3+)的发光强度最弱。Tb~(3+)的特征发射峰分别随着碱金属、碱土金属和三价金属的离子半径增加而红移。Gd~(3+)、Dy~(3+)、Bi~(3+)对Tb~(3+)均有敏化作用。特别是Gd~(3+),使Tb~(3+)的发光强度增加1～3.8倍,其最佳敏化浓度,因基质玻璃成份而异。

Sm~(3+)在硼酸盐玻璃中的发光及Bi~(3+)对Sm~(3+)的敏化作用

早在六十年代,人们为了寻找较好的激光玻璃,曾对Sm~(3+)离子掺杂的玻璃中的光谱进行过研究。为了探寻新型的激光,发光玻璃,又进一步研究了Sm~(3+)在玻璃中的发光和敏化。我们以寻找一种高亮度,低成本的发光玻璃为目的,研究了基质玻璃组成,敏化离子及其浓度对Sm~(3+)发光性质的影响。 选择B_2O_3-BaO-M_mO_n(M_mO_n=Li_2O,Na_2O,K_2O,MgO,CaO,SrO)玻璃体系,所用原料的纯度皆为分析纯以上,用陶瓷坩埚在1250℃掺杂氧化钐(纯度均大于99％),玻璃的荧光谱和激发光谱,用MPF-4型荧光分光光度计测定。

SYNTHESIS OF TETRAPHENYLBUTADIENE LANTHANIDE METALLACYCLES

The cyclic derivatives of transition metals have been extensively investigated in recent years since they are believed to serve as key intermediates in various homogeneous catalytic processes of olefine and alkyne metathesis. The synthesis of the title compounds has not been reported before.

Permanent Genetic Resources added to Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 May 2009-31 July 2009

This article documents the addition of 512 microsatellite marker loci and nine pairs of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) sequencing primers to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database. Loci were developed for the following species: Alcippe morrisonia morrisonia, Bashania fangiana, Bashania fargesii, Chaetodon vagabundus, Colletes floralis, Coluber constrictor flaviventris, Coptotermes gestroi, Crotophaga major, Cyprinella lutrensis, Danaus plexippus, Fagus grandifolia, Falco tinnunculus, Fletcherimyia fletcheri, Hydrilla verticillata, Laterallus jamaicensis coturniculus, Leavenworthia alabamica, Marmosops incanus, Miichthys miiuy, Nasua nasua, Noturus exilis, Odontesthes bonariensis, Quadrula fragosa, Pinctada maxima, Pseudaletia separata, Pseudoperonospora cubensis, Podocarpus elatus, Portunus trituberculatus, Rhagoletis cerasi, Rhinella schneideri, Sarracenia alata, Skeletonema marinoi, Sminthurus viridis, Syngnathus abaster, Uroteuthis (Photololigo) chinensis, Verticillium dahliae, Wasmannia auropunctata, and Zygochlamys patagonica. These loci were cross-tested on the following species: Chaetodon baronessa, Falco columbarius, Falco eleonorae, Falco naumanni, Falco peregrinus, Falco subbuteo, Didelphis aurita, Gracilinanus microtarsus, Marmosops paulensis, Monodelphis Americana, Odontesthes hatcheri, Podocarpus grayi, Podocarpus lawrencei, Podocarpus smithii, Portunus pelagicus, Syngnathus acus, Syngnathus typhle,Uroteuthis (Photololigo) edulis, Uroteuthis (Photololigo) duvauceli and Verticillium albo-atrum. This article also documents the addition of nine sequencing primer pairs and sixteen allele specific primers or probes for Oncorhynchus mykiss and Oncorhynchus tshawytscha; these primers and assays were cross-tested in both species.

CLONING AND QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE CARBONIC ANHYDRASE GENE FROM PORPHYRA YEZOENSIS

Carbonic anhydrase (CA), an enzyme that catalyzes the interconversion of CO2 and HCO3-, has a critical role in inorganic carbon acquisition in many kingdoms, including animals, plants, and bacteria. In this study, the full-length cDNA of the CA gene from Porphyra yezoensis Ueda (denoted as PyCA) was cloned by using an expressed sequence tag (EST) and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The nucleotide sequence of PyCA consists of 1,153 bp, including a 5' untranslated region (UTR) of 177 bp, a 3' UTR of 151 bp, and an open reading frame (ORF) of 825 bp that can be translated into a 274-amino-acid putative peptide with a molecular mass (M) of 29.8 kDa and putative isoelectric point (pI) of 8.51. The predicted polypeptide has significant homology to the beta-CA from bacteria and unicellular algae, such as Porphyridium purpureum. The mRNA in filamentous thalli, leafy thalli, and conchospores was examined, respectively, by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qPCR), and the levels of PyCA are different at different stages of the life cycle. The lowest level of mRNA was observed in leafy thalli, and the level in filamentous thalli and in the conchospores was 4-fold higher and 10-fold higher, respectively.

Genome-wide analysis of restriction-modification system in unicellular and filamentous cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria are an ancient group of gram-negative bacteria with strong genome size variation ranging from 1.6 to 9.1 Mb. Here, we first retrieved all the putative restriction-modification (RM) genes in the draft genome of Spirulina and then performed a range of comparative and bioinformatic analyses on RM genes from unicellular and filamentous cyanobacterial genomes. We have identified 6 gene clusters containing putative Type I RMs and 11 putative Type II RMs or the solitary methyltransferases (MTases). RT-PCR analysis reveals that 6 of 18 MTases are not expressed in Spirulina, whereas one hsdM gene, with a mutated cognate hsdS, was detected to be expressed. Our results indicate that the number of RM genes in filamentous cyanobacteria is significantly higher than in unicellular species, and this expansion of RM systems in filamentous cyanobacteria may be related to their wide range of ecological tolerance. Furthermore, a coevolutionary pattern is found between hsdM and hsdR, with a large number of site pairs positively or negatively correlated, indicating the functional importance of these pairing interactions between their tertiary structures. No evidence for positive selection is found for the majority of RMs, e. g., hsdM, hsdS, hsdR, and Type II restriction endonuclease gene families, while a group of MTases exhibit a remarkable signature of adaptive evolution. Sites and genes identified here to have been under positive selection would provide targets for further research on their structural and functional evaluations.

Genome-wide analysis of restriction-modification system in unicellular and filamentous cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria are an ancient group of gram-negative bacteria with strong genome size variation ranging from 1.6 to 9.1 Mb. Here, we first retrieved all the putative restriction-modification (RM) genes in the draft genome of Spirulina and then performed a range of comparative and bioinformatic analyses on RM genes from unicellular and filamentous cyanobacterial genomes. We have identified 6 gene clusters containing putative Type I RMs and 11 putative Type II RMs or the solitary methyltransferases (MTases). RT-PCR analysis reveals that 6 of 18 MTases are not expressed in Spirulina, whereas one hsdM gene, with a mutated cognate hsdS, was detected to be expressed. Our results indicate that the number of RM genes in filamentous cyanobacteria is significantly higher than in unicellular species, and this expansion of RM systems in filamentous cyanobacteria may be related to their wide range of ecological tolerance. Furthermore, a coevolutionary pattern is found between hsdM and hsdR, with a large number of site pairs positively or negatively correlated, indicating the functional importance of these pairing interactions between their tertiary structures. No evidence for positive selection is found for the majority of RMs, e. g., hsdM, hsdS, hsdR, and Type II restriction endonuclease gene families, while a group of MTases exhibit a remarkable signature of adaptive evolution. Sites and genes identified here to have been under positive selection would provide targets for further research on their structural and functional evaluations.